in fupport of James's pretenfions to the throne of Ireland; after having experienced the infraction of every part of the treaty of Limerick, and been exposed to a code of ftatutes, by which they were totally excluded from the privileges. of the conftitution; and if, after they had become fubject" to the worst of all oppreffions, the perfecution of private fociety and private manners,' they had embarked in the cause of the invader, their conduct would have been that of a high fpirited nation, goaded into a state of defperation by their relentless tormentors, and if their refiftance had been fuccessful, their leaders would have ranked among the Tell's and Washington's of modern history. But fo far from yielding to the natural dictates of revenge, or attempting to take advantage of what was paffing in Scotland to regain their rights, they did not follow the example of their rulers, in violating, upon the first favourable opportunity, a facred and folemn compact; and thus they gave the ftrongest testimony, that they had wholly given up their former hopes of establishing a Catholic prince

Burke's Letter to a Peer of Ireland.

upon

upon the throne. Their loyalty was not however a protection to them against the oppreffions of their Proteftant countrymen. The penalties for the exercise of their religion, were generally and rigidly inflicted. Their chapels were shut up, their priests dragged from their hiding-places, hurried into prifons, and from thence fent into banishment.

GEORGE II.

In this reign, the following additional difabilities were imposed upon the Catholics.

By the 1ft G.II. c. 9. fect. 7. no Papist could vote at an election without taking the oath of fupremacy. However great the oppreffion which the Catholics had experienced during former reigns, this measure altogether completed their entire exclufion from the benefits of the Conftitution, and from the opportunity of regaining their former just rights. It was because this privilege had began to operate amongst Proteftants in a manner very favourable to the Catholics, and to bring about a feeling of regret for their fufferings, and a coalition between the two parties to oppofe the influence of the English Government as a common cause of grievances, that Primate Boulter advised the Minifters to pass this law. His principle of Government for Ireland was to uphold the English interest by the divifions of the inhabitants; and, on this occafion, it induced him to adopt the defperate refolution

of

of disfranchifing, at one ftroke, above five-fixths of its population.*

By the first clause of 1ft Geo. II. c. 30. barrifters, fix clerks, &c. are required to take the oath of fupremacy.

By the second claufe all converts, &c. are bound to educate their children as Proteftants.

By 7th Geo. II. c. 5. fect. 12. barristers or folicitors, marrying Papists, are deemed Papists, and made fubject to all penalties as fuch.

By 7th Geo. II. c. 6. no convert can act as a justice of the peace, whofe wife or children, under 16 years of age, are educated Papists.

The 13th Geo. II. c. 6. is an act to amend former acts for difarming Papists.

By the 6th claufe of this act, Proteftants educating their children Papists are made subject to the fame difabilities as Papifts are.

* Primate Boulter, in his Letter of this year to the Archbishop of Canterbury, (1ft vol. p. 210.) fays, "There are probably in this kingdom five Papists at least to one Protestant."

By 9th Geo. II. c. 3. no perfon can ferve on a petty jury, unless seized of a freehold of 51. per annum, or, being a Proteftant, shall not be poffeffed of a profit rent of 151. per annum, under a leafe for years.

By 9th Geo. II. c. 6. fect. 5. persons robbed by privateers during war with a Popish prince, fhall be reimbursed by grand jury presentment, and the money be levied upon the goods and lands of Popish inhabitants only.

The 19th Geo. II. c. 5. is an act for granting a duty on hawkers and pedlars to the fociety of Proteftant charter-schools.

The 19th Geo. II. c. 13. is an act to annul all marriages between Proteftants and Papists, or celebrated by Popish priests.

By the 23d Geo. II. c. 10. fect. 3. every Popish priest who shall celebrate any marriage contrary to 12th Geo. I. c. 3. and be thereof convicted, fhall be hanged.

Of